Musée d'art et d'archéologie du Périgord

About the museum

The museum was created in 1835 at the request of two local scholars anxious to save the ancient and medieval heritage of Périgueux. It was first housed near the cloister of the Saint-Front cathedral, in premises that no longer exist. In 1866 the curator Édouard Galy had the former Augustinian convent, which had become a prison, purchased; between 1869 and 1874 the archaeology and fine arts collections were transferred there.

A bequest of more than 150 Flemish, French and Italian paintings from the 16th to 19th centuries led the City in 1891 to build a museum-library. The architects Charles Planckaert of Limoges and Godefroy of Paris were chosen after a competition, and the works took place from 1895 to 1898. The museum officially reopened in July 1903. Its exhibition spaces have not been altered since, which makes it a reference for 19th-century museum architecture.

The cloister serves as a lapidarium: since 1905 it has housed about 90 pieces from the former Saint-Front church, its bell tower and its cloister. The galleries lit from above present the fine arts. The neighbouring library was assigned to the museum in 1988 and today houses documentation, part of the storage, the public services department and two rooms devoted to the sculptor Étienne Hajdu.

The prehistory collections comprise 18,500 catalogue entries and form the first public collection assembled in the Dordogne. The museum also holds more than 2,000 non-European objects and fine arts collections from the 16th to the 21st century.

Highlights

• Neanderthal burial of the Regourdou man, about 90,000 years old
• Chancelade man and prehistoric artworks from Dordogne sites
• Cloister with about 90 remains from the Saint-Front cathedral
• Over 2,000 objects from Africa, Oceania, the Americas and China
• Paintings from the 16th to 21st centuries, presented in colour-coded rooms
• 19th-century building preserved in its original state

Permanent exhibitions

• Préhistoire – The largest public prehistory collection in the Dordogne shows tools, artworks and burials, including the Regourdou man and the Chancelade man.
• Beaux-arts du XVIe au XXIe siècle – Paintings, sculptures, furniture and objets d’art are shown in the right wing and the cloister, room by room by century.
• Collections non européennes – More than 2,000 objects from Africa, Oceania, the Americas and China evoke the spiritual and social role of these pieces.

Founded

1835

Operated by

Ville de Périgueux

Admission & discounts

Free admission: First Sunday of the month, except June, July, August and September

Free admission also for recipients of minimum social benefits, job seekers (proof less than 6 months old), journalists, ICOM members and tour guides. A mobile armchair called the “flâneuse” is lent free of charge.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

According to the museum’s access page, the building is not accessible to visitors with disabilities, and pets are not admitted. A “flâneuse”, a mobile armchair designed for visitor comfort, is lent free of charge. Adapted workshop visits are offered to groups with specific needs, by reservation.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide
• Hands-on stations

Free activity booklets at the desk and interactive devices in some rooms. Paid workshops during school holidays (€3 per child, by registration) from age 2 with a parent; free workshops at certain events.

Getting there & parking

From the entrance to Périgueux, follow “centre-ville / Préfecture”. Journey times given by the museum: Bordeaux 1 hr 15 min, Angoulême 1 hr, Brive-la-Gaillarde 1 hr, Limoges 1 hr 30 min.

Amenities & dining

• Museum shop

Museum shop. The website does not mention Wi-Fi for visitors.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

Rental is possible for organisations outside opening hours, with a guided tour included: €200 per hour for fewer than 50 people, €300 per hour for more.

Plan your visit